


Peggy Protocol

by NotEvenCloseToStraight



Series: Short Stories! [7]
Category: Marvel Cinematic Universe, The Avengers (Marvel Movies)
Genre: M/M, Post CACW, Prompt Fill, Reconciliation, Steve Rogers Feels, Stony - Freeform, Tony Stark Needs a Hug, Vision Is A Good Bro
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-07-30
Updated: 2017-07-30
Packaged: 2018-12-09 00:27:47
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,886
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11657823
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/NotEvenCloseToStraight/pseuds/NotEvenCloseToStraight
Summary: Tumbly Prompt== Post CACW and Jarvis suggests Tony reprogram his AI to a familiar, comforting voice since he knows that Tony still misses JARVIS.





	Peggy Protocol

It had been Visions idea, to change FRIDAYS programming.

“Anthony.” He phased through a wall and into Tony's lab, feeling bad when Tony jumped and turned around, a hand to his chest. “Forgive me for startling you.”

“No you’re fine.” Tony was still leaning over his desk, rubbing his heart. “Just a little jumpy. Still getting used to you just...moving through the walls like that.”

“I will endeavor to use the door next time.” Vision offered and Tony smiled weakly.

“Thanks. So what can I do for you?” Tony kicked a chair out and waited for Vision to sit down. “Is everything alright?”

“All is well.” Vision assured him, fixing his steady gaze on Tony's face, taking in the stress lines and tired eyes. “You, however, are not.”

“Vis.” Tony rolled his eyes and turned back to his desk. “I'm fine. What else is on your mind?”

“I was thinking,” Vision began slowly. “That perhaps you could rewrite FRIDAYs programming to resemble someone more familiar to you.”

“I don't understand why--”

“I am aware that you flinch every time I speak.” Vision continued, and watched Tony do exactly that- flinch away from the words as if they hurt him. “And I am aware that it is because you hear traces of JARVIS in my voice, even though I am not JARVIS. I am aware that I physically represent someone you lost, whether JARVIS was an AI or not.”

“Vision we have been over and over this, it's not a problem. A little weird at first to have my AI--”

“-- you’re best friend.” Vision interrupted smoothly. “I am well aware that I have come into existence at the expense of the last few pieces of your best friend. I am simply suggesting that perhaps you reprogram FRIDAY to also emulate someone from your childhood, as you did JARVIS. Perhaps it would help with how lonely you are.”

“Maybe.” Tony was turning his pen over and over through his fingers. “I don't...hate that idea. I just wouldn't want to hurt FRIDAYS feelings by--”

“Boss, it's ridiculous to think I would be upset over somethin’ like that.” FRIDAY interjected, startling them both. “While I hold that you canna program a woman, I am not opposed to bein’ fine tuned to remind you of some one you love.”

“Oh.” Tony's eyes widened and he glanced up at the ceiling. “Well, as long as you are on board with it, dear.” He grinned then, and Vision smiled as well. It was always so amusing to watch Tony interact with the AI as if she was a flesh and bone human woman.

“Thank you, Vis.” Tony said seriously. “I hadn't thought about doing that, and I love the idea. I know exactly who to model FRIDAY after.”

“May I ask--?”

“My Aunt Peggy.” Tony's fingers were already flying over his keyboard. “The only woman who could beat my ass and then turn around and wipe my tears and then scold me in her very next breath because I was being ridiculous.”

“Peggy Carter of SHIELD.”

“Exactly.” Tony smiled for real this time. “That's exactly right.”

*******************

Tony didn't give any thought to the new Peggy-Protocol on FRIDAYS software until the Avengers returned home. It had been months by then, and he had gotten used to the soft British accent following him around, telling him to eat, making sure he woke up on time, helping him with his suit.

In fact, no one on the team noticed either, not until one day when Tony walked into the kitchen as Steve was trying to leave and they smacked right into each other.

The tablet Tony was holding went flying and the screen shattered as it connected with the edge of the counter, the coffee Steve was holding spilling and adding to the mess.

“Dammit.” Tony swore and backed up several steps, running his hands through his hair agitatedly. “Watch where you’re going Captain!”

“So sorry about that Tony.” Steve said sincerely, flushing a little. “I really didn't mean to--”

“It's fine, just…” Tony picked up the ruined tablet and groaned. “Darling, please tell me I remembered to back up everything before I walked in here.”

“You didn't.” The AI replied calmly. “But I went ahead and backed it up for you. You haven't lost a thing.”

“Thank you so much.” ‘

“Of course, Tony.”

Tony smiled a little, loving how the new programming just calmed him down almost instantly. “Remind me to give you a ---Captain, is there a reason you are staring at me?” he asked and crossed his arms.

He was having a hard time reconciling with the team, specifically Steve and obviously Bucky. Everyone pretty much knew to give Tony space, but Steve and he still butted heads. And now Steve was staring at him in horror, or perhaps fascination and maybe looking emotional. Tony didn't know, but it was pissing him off.

“Steve!” he snapped, and the blonde jumped.

“Sorry, I just… Tony when did you--why is Peggy talking to you through your AI?”

“Why does it matter who my AI sounds---oh.” Tony tilted his head. “You knew Peggy. I forgot.”

“Yeah.” Steve's voice softened and he rubbed his neck a little awkwardly. “It's weird to hear her sounding… young. And you know… alive. Coming from your ceiling.”

“I changed FRIDAYs voice a few months ago. It was Visions idea. Change it to someone familiar and comforting.”

“Comforting?” Steve raised an eyebrow and Tony shrugged.

“Well, when she wasn't giving me hell about doing stupid things. Or whipping my butt for back talking my mom. Or ripping me a new one because I kept blowing things up, or sneaking out of the house or…” Tony laughed then, a fond smile on his face, and Steve grinned right back at him.

“So does having her in your ear all the time keep you on the right path?”

“Well, she locked me out of the lab the other day because I hadn't slept.” Tony said sheepishly, and Steve laughed out loud---

\----and everyone else in the kitchen stopped and stared, because Tony and Steve were laughing together and that was something they didn't think they would ever see again.

“Anyway.” Tony stopped laughing and shuffled his feet. “Anyway. I got to get back downstairs and get a new tablet and get back to work so--”

“Well are you hungry?” Steve motioned towards the counter. “We are just making sandwiches, do you want one?”

“No thanks.” Tony shook his head and was gone just that quickly, leaving Steve staring after him with a furrowed brow.

******************

“Tony.” Steve entered the lab less than fifteen minutes later, a plate with sandwiches on it in one hand, a bottle of water in the other. “I brought you some lunch.”

“What are you--why are you--” Tony blinked at him in confusion. “Why?”

“Because you’re hungry.”

“So?”

“And because I was told to bring you food.” Steve winced. “And having Peggy scolding me for letting you go hungry worked way better than I thought it would have so---”

“I see.” Tony reached for the plate, then looked up. “Thank you.”

“If you would simply eat, then I wouldn't have to wrangle team members into force feeding you.” the AI responded primly.

“That is uncanny.” Steve chuckled and Tony smiled a little. “So um, could I maybe stay? Or do you have the ‘no avengers in the lab’ rule, still?”

“You-- you can stay.” Tony said slowly, and Steve sat down in the chair next to him.

“See? Give some boys some food and they just make right up.” FRIDAY, or maybe they should just start calling her Peggy?, said cheerfully. “That's all you needed. A push in the right direction to be friends again.”

“It's like being fourteen and being in trouble for fighting at school.” Tony mumbled around a bite of his lunch.

“It's like being twenty and having her roll her eyes at me when I told her about fighting in the alley.” Steve grumbled, then they both looked up and smiled.

***************

Later, months later, when things in the Compound were basically back to normal and the team was working together again, Steve was sitting and having lunch in the lab with Tony like he had done almost every day for a while now.

“So I was thinking--” Tony said slowly and Steve looked up.

“What's up, Tony?”

“I was thinking that maybe changing FRIDAYs programming to Peggy is the entire reason you and I even--”

“Yeah.” Steve nodded. “I think so too. So um, we can blame her for what's going to happen next then, too, I suppose.”

“What's going to happen next?” Tony asked, and Steve waited just long enough for Tony to swallow the bite of chicken before he was moving, kneeling in front of Tony's chair and slotting their lips together in a gentle kiss.

“Steve, what the fu-”

“We were so close, before everything went wrong.” Steve said seriously. “So close, Tony. So close being...this.”

“We were never like this.” Tony argued, and Steve's blue eyes softened.

“But we were close, weren’t we? Once we moved into the compound? Once things settled down after Ultron? There were like six months there that things were.. Well anyway. Can I kiss you again?”

“Oh _now_ you’re asking?” Tony snipped, but his eyes were wide and vulnerable, and Steve's heart broke a little because he knew it was hard for Tony to even let him _this_ close, much less _closer_.

“Tony.” FRIDAY-- or rather Peggys- voice came online. “Your heart rate is elevated and your breathing has picked up. You are blushing, which makes you look wonderfully healthy. I would think it would be in your best interest to continue this activity.”

“Are you serious? Is she serious?” Tony wanted to laugh, but couldn't, because Steve was still between his thighs, still running his thumb over Tony's jaw, still staring up at him. “Is my AI rooting for us to get together?”

Steve just raised his eyebrows, and Tony finally met his eyes. “We _were_ close. But now--”

“Let’s be that again.” Steve urged, and slid his hand around to hold the back of Tony's neck, holding him firmly but not forcing him closer. “Please.”

“Well.” Tony bit his lip. “If Peggy approves---”

Steve laughed a little but leaned closer, and so did Tony. “She is pretty impossible to argue with.”

“I guess.” Tony whispered, and then they were kissing again, and again, until Steve just lifted him up and carried him over to the couch. Then they kissed some more, taking breaks so Steve could wipe the tears from Tony's face, so Steve could whisper assurances that this time he wasn't going anywhere, so Steve could murmur apologies over and over into Tony's hair.

And when Vision came looking for Tony, when he went to simply phase through the wall into the lab, the AI’s voice stopped him dead in his tracks.

“Vision, if you interrupt this moment between my boys, I will personally ensure that the next wall you phase through keeps you stuck inside.” The soft British voice threatened and Vision raised an eyebrow before simply bowing in deference.

“Of course, Margaret.”

“It's _Peggy_.” the AI replied haughtily and Vision simply smiled before going on his way.


End file.
